Goose Island State Park
During the week of February 20th we met our friends Dolph and Bev at Goose Island State Park near Rockport, TX. The main activities at this park are: camping, birding and fishing. The park is also known for the "Big Tree". This tree has been named the state champion coastal live oak. It is over 1000 years old and is one of the largest in the nation. Here we are in front of the tree.
Our campsite was on the bayfront with an "open cabana", water and electricity. We battled the wind while cooking, fishing and especially while trying to sleep. The wind loosened our rain fly flap during the night allowing the salt water to blow into the tent.
Activities at Goose Island included:
- Fishing
- Geocaching on the Turk's Cap Trail
- Birding and Photography
On road trips, we like to experience local flavor by finding unique eateries. On this trip we found Van's BBQ in Oakville and The Gold Mine in Raisin, TX.
The whooping crane, the tallest American bird at 5ft, is an endangered species. In 1941 there were only 21 in the wild and 2 in captivity. Due to conservation efforts, the count in 2011 was over 400 in the wild and over 150 in captivity. The largest wild population winters along the Texas coast. According to the Whooping Crane Conservation Association, there were 245 whoopers in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge this year. The photo above shows one of the 6 whoopers that we saw, alond with a sandhill crane.
Other water fowl that we saw were a roseate spoonbill, white pelicans and brown pelicans.
Other water fowl that we saw were a roseate spoonbill, white pelicans and brown pelicans.
